LOW back pain is usually a self-limiting symptom, but it costs at least $16 billion each year^{1 , 2} and disables 5.4 million Americans.³ The fact that a benign physical condition has such an important socioeconomic effect can probably be explained by complex psychological, societal, and legal factors. This article emphasizes that simple treatment is sufficient for most patients with low back pain and sciatica. Timely surgical intervention for the minority of patients with sciatica and neurologic claudication who do not respond to conservative care, and aggressive rehabilitation for those disabled by chronic low back pain, will favorably influence the outcome in . . .